TSHA Press Expands Publishing Program with Five New Titles Showcasing Texas History

The oldest Texas history publisher, TSHA Press, announces a major revival under Director McCaslin, unveiling five new books on Texas history.

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, October 21, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), the state’s preeminent authority on Texas history and its oldest historical organization, is proud to announce a surge in publishing activity under the leadership of Dr. Richard B. McCaslin, who became Director of Publications in September 2023. As the oldest continuously operating publisher of Texas history books, TSHA Press has been a trusted source for authoritative, award-winning scholarship since its first volume was released in 1918. In the past two years, the Press has seen a significant revival, affirming its role as a leader in the documentation and dissemination of Texas’ rich and complex past.

Under Dr. McCaslin’s direction, himself a renowned historian and the former TSHA Professor of Texas History at the University of North Texas, the Press has recently released or announced five new titles:

• Twilight of the Old Army in Texas, 1900–1945 by U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Thomas T. “Ty” Smith: An in-depth look at the final chapter of the frontier Army in Texas, this marks Smith’s fifth title with TSHA Press. His earlier work, Under the Double Eagle, earned the Grand Prize from the Texas State Genealogical Society. Available now.

• Texan in Blue: Captain Francis Asbury Vaughan of the First Texas Cavalry, USA by Dr. Richard B. McCaslin and J. Wayne Stewart: This biography follows Captain Francis Asbury Vaughan, who defied the Confederacy to serve in the First Texas Cavalry, USA. Based on his personal wartime writings and family records, this biography offers a rare look at Unionist loyalty, Reconstruction politics, and a remarkable Texas legacy. Available now.

• Life and Death on the Western Front: Marine Private Charles Jefferson Rhea’s World War I Memoir edited by James Presley: Charles Jefferson Rhea, freshly graduated from high school, joined the Marines and went to France in World War I. He endured much savage fighting before celebrating the November 1918 armistice in a hospital, felled by poison gas, exhaustion, and perhaps the Spanish Flu. Returning home, he wrote a compelling memoir. Available now.

• Black Gold in Texas: Oil & Gas History from the Southwestern Historical Quarterly, edited by Dr. Richard B. McCaslin, with a scholarly introduction by Dr. Jason P. Theriot: This volume includes seventeen selections on oil and gas history from the Southwestern Historical Quarterly, the oldest continuously published academic journal in the United States, providing a broad perspective on the evolution and impact of oil and gas in Texas. Available now.

• Texas Almanac 2026–2027, edited by Brett Regan: A staple resource for students, educators, policymakers, and proud Texans alike, the upcoming edition offers updated data, maps, and statistics on every corner of the Lone Star State. From early exploration to a renowned space program, and everything in-between, the Texas Almanac proudly highlights some of Texas’ greatest feats of the past and trends for the future. Coming November 2025.

In addition to books, the Texas State Historical Association also produces flagship publications such as the Southwestern Historical Quarterly and the Handbook of Texas, further solidifying TSHA’s role as the cornerstone of historical scholarship in the state.

For media inquiries, review copies, or interview requests with our authors or editors, please contact:

Raymond DeVuono
Texas State Historical Association
+1 512-471-3272
raymond.devuono@tshaonline.org
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